Chain Reaction - The Supply Chain and Logistics Podcast

About Chain Reaction - The Supply Chain and Logistics Podcast

The UK's leading podcast focussing on supply chain and logistics.

Publisher

Michael Ostroumov

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 May 2025

Latest episode

2 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

50 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Oct 2026

   Ep. 50 - Who Pays When AI Gets It Wrong? - Wajahat Akram

   AI has moved from assisting people to increasingly doing the work itself. It can plan, analyse, identify problems, recommend decisions, and execute complex workflows. But as AI becomes more autonomous, one question becomes increasingly important: who remains accountable when something goes wrong? KEY CONCEPTS COVERED: How AI has evolved from an assistant into increasingly autonomous agentic systems Where businesses should draw the line between AI automation and human decision-making Why governance, data security, accountability, and human expertise become more important as AI gets more capable In this episode of Chain Reaction, Michael Ostroumov is joined once again by Waj Akram, CTO of FLOX, to revisit their conversation about AI, automation, and human judgement. They explore how rapidly AI has evolved from requiring constant supervision towards systems capable of planning, executing, and reviewing increasingly complex work. Waj also explains how FLOX is putting this into practice through its multi-agent software development system, customer-facing assistant Holly, and Wingman, an AI engine embedded directly into the logistics platform to help users identify opportunities, prioritise exceptions, and make better operational decisions. Michael and Waj then tackle the bigger question: how much control should AI actually have? They discuss why effective AI requires clear rules, guardrails, testing, human oversight, and careful control of sensitive data, as well as why accountability must remain with people even when AI can operate autonomously. The conversation also looks ahead to how increasingly capable AI could reshape logistics roles, software development, small businesses, and the skills people need as AI becomes embedded into everyday operations. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tyjzJ8ja-DY (https://youtu.be/tyjzJ8ja-DY) TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) - Introduction and How much has AI actually changed? (7:39) - Building an automated software development lifecycle (11:13) - AI benchmarks vs what actually works in practice (16:49) - What FLOX is actually building with AI (23:52) - Reducing administration rather than replacing people (33:37) - Data security and AI governance in logistics (38:15) - Guardrails, hallucinations, and AI reliability (40:47) - Where AI goes next (43:36) - Could AI help smaller businesses compete? (46:35) - AI, profitability, and the end of traditional economies of scale? (49:21) - Magic wand question: don't let AI take the wheel CONNECT WITH THE HOST & GUEST: Michael Ostroumov - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/) Waj Akram - https://www.linkedin.com/in/akramwajahat/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/akramwajahat/) CONNECT WITH FLOX: Website: https://www.flox.is/ (https://www.flox.is/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/) ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Chain Reaction explores how quickly AI has evolved from an assistant into increasingly capable agentic systems and what that means for logistics, software development, and business operations. Michael Ostroumov and Waj Akram discuss multi-agent AI, human oversight, autonomous decision-making, data governance, security, specialised AI models, and FLOX's experience building AI directly into its technology, while addressing a critical question: just because AI can make a decision, should it? They explore why accountability must remain with people, why businesses need control over the data AI can access, and how combining human expertise with increasingly capable technology could reshape logistics roles and business models. #ChainReactionPodcast #SupplyChain #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #AgenticAI #Logistics

2. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Ep. 49 - Stock Accuracy Matters More Than Ever - Martin Chisholm

   Your system says the stock is there. The warehouse says otherwise. A small inventory discrepancy might seem insignificant, but it can ripple through the entire supply chain, creating lost sales, unexpected demand spikes, excess stock, production pressure, and unnecessary cost. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED: Why inventory accuracy has become a critical supply chain capability How stock errors create ripple effects from retailers back to manufacturers Why ERP systems, AI, and other technology cannot compensate for poor data and broken processes In this episode of Chain Reaction, Michael Ostroumov is joined by Martin Chisholm, Managing Director of Last Link, an operations specialist with experience across manufacturing, retail, logistics, and interim management. Martin shares lessons from more than two decades of working inside businesses and advising them from the outside, including why companies need to continually reassess their operations rather than relying on the way things have always been done. The conversation explores why inventory accuracy matters, what happens when physical stock does not match system data, and how those errors can ripple upstream through retailers, manufacturers, and smaller suppliers. Michael and Martin also discuss ERP and MRP systems, Excel workarounds, AI forecasting, the bullwhip effect, CPFR, and why putting sophisticated technology on top of inaccurate data rarely solves the underlying problem. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jRE3GnGy0d8 (https://youtu.be/jRE3GnGy0d8) TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) - Introduction and guest overview (1:38) - Martin's journey from engineering into operations (4:11) - Why businesses struggle to see their real operational problems (7:43) - The right operating model constantly changes (11:06) - Why inventory accuracy became a business priority (12:47) - Customer demand, productivity, and the cost of stock (18:11) - What does stock accuracy actually mean? (20:00) - Why inventory accuracy gets worse closer to the shelf (24:51) - Inventory errors and the bullwhip effect (28:00) - Why bad data undermines ERP and AI (31:52) - Why technology alone cannot solve operational problems (33:10) - Why collaborative forecasting still struggles (36:12) - Magic wand question: achieving 100% stock accuracy CONNECT WITH THE HOST & GUEST: Michael Ostroumov - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/) Martin Chisholm - https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-chisholm-fmm-miim-71800b3/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-chisholm-fmm-miim-71800b3/) CONNECT WITH FLOX: Website: https://www.flox.is/ (https://www.flox.is/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/) ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Chain Reaction explores inventory accuracy and its impact across modern supply chains. Martin and Michael discuss stock visibility, retail availability, inventory costs, the bullwhip effect, ERP and MRP systems, AI forecasting, CPFR, and why reliable data, people, and processes must come before technology. The conversation highlights how seemingly small stock errors can create significant consequences across manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and ultimately customers. #ChainReactionPodcast #SupplyChain #InventoryManagement #StockAccuracy #Logistics #Manufacturing

3. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Ep. 48 - The Secret to Keeping Supply Chains Moving - Jonathan Torres

   Customs compliance often operates behind the scenes, but when something goes wrong, the consequences become visible very quickly. Missing paperwork, incorrect classifications, system failures, regulatory changes, and new tariffs can leave trucks, containers, and shipments stuck at borders, disrupting operations across the wider supply chain. KEY CONCEPTS COVERED: Why shipments get delayed at borders and what compliance teams do about it How changing tariffs and regulation create operational challenges How AI, automation, and system integration are changing trade compliance In this episode of Chain Reaction, Michael Ostroumov is joined by Jonathan Torres, Compliance Manager at Mevotech, for a practical discussion on what customs and trade compliance actually involves. Jonathan shares how an unexpected visit to a customs officers' recruitment event led him into a career spanning more than 20 years, and explains what happens behind the scenes when businesses need to move goods across borders. The conversation covers customs documentation, HS code classification, changing tariffs, automotive parts, border delays, stakeholder communication, AI, automation, and the shift towards paperless and increasingly integrated customs processes. Jonathan also explains why AI can help compliance professionals work faster, but why knowledge and experience remain essential for validating its answers and understanding the regulations behind them. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wsDJwdtw3AY (https://youtu.be/wsDJwdtw3AY) TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) - Introduction and guest overview (1:53) - How Jonathan entered customs compliance by mistake (3:45) - What trade compliance actually involves (5:53) - What keeps a compliance manager awake at night (8:16) - What are the biggest headaches when it comes to compliance (10:51) - Staying flexible when regulations change (14:06) - Trade compliance challenges in the automotive industry (16:58) - Technology and automation in compliance (20:08) - Could reliance on AI weaken compliance skills? (22:26) - Why AI is a lens, not a brain (23:34) - Jonathan's unexpected career journey (25:39) - The future of customs and trade compliance (29:04) - Magic wand question: getting everyone to understand the process CONNECT WITH THE HOST & GUEST: Michael Ostroumov - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelostroumov/) Jonathan Torres - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-torres-bba-ctcs-ccs-scm-6a58b8121/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-torres-bba-ctcs-ccs-scm-6a58b8121/) CONNECT WITH FLOX: Website: https://www.flox.is/ (https://www.flox.is/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/flox-logistics-services/) Related Service Page: https://flox.is/for-lsps/3pls (https://flox.is/for-lsps/3pls) ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Chain Reaction explores the operational reality of customs and trade compliance with Jonathan Torres, Compliance Manager at Mevotech. The discussion covers why shipments get held at borders, the impact of tariffs and regulatory change, customs classification, automotive supply chains, AI, automation, and system integration. It also examines why better understanding across different business functions can reduce mistakes, improve compliance, and help the entire supply chain move faster and more efficiently. #ChainReactionPodcast #SupplyChain #TradeCompliance #Customs #Logistics

Who has been a guest on Chain Reaction - The Supply Chain and Logistics Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dan Pass
• Paul Brooks
• Bram Vanschoenwinkel
• Neil Powell
• Rafael Norberto

Podcast Authority Score: 16 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

32

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0